Campervan Travel Around Australia

Having lived in Brisbane for years now we've been on countless trips to the Sunshine Coast, a collection of seaside suburbs that begins about an hour and a half north of the Queensland capital. Sunny, surfy and laid back, the Sunshine Coast is the ultimate spot for a relaxing weekend away, and we've made the most of that over the years. But Ive never been as excited as I am today to make this short drive north. Looking out from the passenger seat of our motorhome, the rainforests seem greener and full of promise, and the blue ocean we occasionally glimpse to our right looks more inviting than ever before.

This is the start of our travels around Australia, travels that me and my husband Bruce have been planning for months. We are stoked to see all our hard work come together, and cant think of a more beautiful spot to kick it all off than the little coastal town of Noosa on the Sunny Coast. The kids, Derek, who is 12, and Jenny, who has just turned 10, absolutely love it here, and we got an early start so they could get a full day in at the beach. We will spend the night at our favourite haunt, the Noosa River Caravan Park, before striking out north again. Who knows, maybe we'll stay longer... thats the beauty of a self drive holiday!



My husband has a smug look on his face, as if he's already caught the biggest fish on the Noosa River. His favourite pastime is taking Derek fishing, and they've hired a tinny (a small aluminium boat for you non-Australians!) to take on the river this afternoon. I'm sure when Derek wakes from his early morning slumber that's all he's going to talk about, so I silently prepare myself for the angling conversations I cannot contribute to!

While they fish Jenny and I are going to go shopping for a new swimming costume for her. For such a small town Noosa is something of a shoppers paradise, and the main drag known as Hastings street is a haven of specialty shops. Sophisticated and relaxed at the same time, its the perfect seaside shopping experience, and there are lots of quaint coffee shops and eateries to fill empty stomachs and refresh tired legs! As Bruce drives the campervan through Noosa and into the camping ground I start to feel extremely happy about the idea of a bit of bonding with my daughter.

The day pans out perfectly, with the boys catching their fish and Jenny and I shopping till we almost drop. We meet up in the late afternoon, exchange stories and make our way to Noosa Heads to watch the sun set on the first day of what is going to be a fantastic family adventure. Being our first day on the road we treat ourselves to dinner at a restaurant, and as usual the fine Noosa cuisine doesn't let us down. The seafood doesn't get much fresher than here, and we return to our motorhome satisfied and tired. I think the decision is as good as made, we're definitely going to stay another night!

Obviously you cant just up and leave on a trip the size of the one we have planned. The reality of life is that there are loose ends to tie up, money issues to be sorted out and a whole bunch of mundane details that need to be seen to. So a couple of years of saving and forethought were needed, but they were exciting times and it was very satisfying watching our trip come together. All of a sudden the departure date was just around the corner, the kids were going crazy with anticipation and Bruce and I were faced with the task of organising a mobile home for the next few months.

This was made easy by the guys at Discovery Campervans, a company that helps you find the cheapest deals on the major brand campervans. Their service combines a high level of professionalism with a friendly and personal touch, and they found us the perfect motorhome for our holiday at a great rate. We got a good discount because of the length of our trip, and we really cant say anything bad about our spacious, comfy and almost brand new motorhome. Discovery have Nationwide depots, making it easy to pick up and drop off your camper whenever suits you, so if you are planning any kind of campervan holiday then look them up.

We chose on a self drive touring holiday for a number of reasons, but primarily its for the kids. Derek is 12, and Jenny is 10, and at that impressionable age there is a lot they can learn from seeing a different part of their country every day. This is more than a holiday, its an educational experience and a chance for all of us to experience the freedom of the open road. The idea of just driving and picking a spot to stay without having to worry about organising accommodation is infinitely appealing to Bruce and I as it is so far removed from the mundane nine to five of our normal lives, and to be able to experience this with the kids is going to be a great bonding experience.

Motorhome Holidays also offer exceptional value for money. To a large extent your motoring and your accommodation costs are combined, and the facilities in the camper mean you can do all your shopping at supermarkets and enjoy home cooking rather than eating out at expensive restaurants every night. Its exciting to think that every meal you eat can be in a different settings, with new and unique views around you! We chose on a six-berth campervan for the extra space it would provide the kids, and it comes with a stove, shower and sink, and all the mod-cons like a GPS and a TV.

So there you have it... a lot has gone into this trip, and there is a lot of excitement to match. The planning and organising is done, and now we have the opportunity to be as spontaneous as we like, and enjoy the freedom of our campervan adventure!

My next lens gives more in depth information about travelling on the sunny coast. Check it out here.

Tourists entering Australia will need to make sure they have all the necessary documentation for entering the country. There are a number of visas available for people entering the country for a temporary visit:

ETA (Visitor) (Subclass 976): This is an electronically stored authority that allows you into the country for a length of three months. To obtain one you need to visit a departmental office and submit an application.

Tourist Visa (Subclass 676): This allows you to stay within the country for purposes of holiday, recreation and visiting friends.

Sponsored Family Visitor visa (subclass 679): This visa allows people to take a holiday and visit their family. You need an eligible relative in Australia willing to sponsor you.

Before planning your holiday visit the website of the Visas and Immigration Department of the Australian Government, where you will find more comprehensive information on organising your visa.

1. Soft luggage- space is at a premium, and soft luggage is easier to store in tight spaces than bags with hard sides.
2. A basic first aid kit- in case of the unlikely eventuality that something goes wrong.
3. In Car Phone Charger- some nights may be spent away from amenities like electricity.
4. Books and games- theres gonna be a lot of quiet time that needs filling, and if you have kids then reading material and board games are essential entertainment!
5. CD's- on a tour you will drive through areas where there is no radio coverage, and CD's will help break those long silences!
6. Camera- you need hard evidence of all the magnificent places you see, and of course boasting material for your friends back home!
7. Torch- this should not be overlooked. You will remember these words when you are stumbling through the dark at three am!
8. Beach Towels and Sunscreen- The Australian sun is dangerously hot, so slap on heaps of factor 30 or higher. Beach towels are just a comfort accessory, but a very handy one!
9. Insect Repellant- coastal areas can be home to large hordes of flying midges. Buzzing mosquitoes are just as annoying! Keep them away with repellant.
10. Clothes, money, I.D- these speak for themselves, but are surprisingly easy to forget!

Holiday nightmares have happened to us all before. We didn't confirm a booking, we forgot the flight details, we can't remember what company we booked with, the list goes on. It doesn't matter how well you planned your holiday, if you forget the little details it could end in catastrophe.
That's where this little gem of a travel planner comes in handy. You can input all your details, from your flights to your car hire to your accommodation, and the planner methodically organises it and lets you print it out to keep on you. Give it a look by clicking on the link below:

KEA
KEA Campers prides itself on a reputation for quality, innovative vehicle design and fit-out, youngest fleet age and outstanding customer service. Among the many innovative features introduced by KEA are: largest beds in the industry, modern European kitchen design and high quality appliances, flat screen TV and DVD players, spacious toilet / shower cubicle, high-grade macro suede fabric seat covers, central locking systems covering entire vehicle, safety deposit boxes, security screens and solar panels.

Book a KEA Camper

Apollo
Apollo Motorhome Holidays is an Australian family owned business. It is recognised as one of the premier recreational vehicle operators in Australasia, specialising in the rental of quality leisure vehicles throughout Australia and New Zealand. They build their own vehicles, hence operating a very modern and unique fleet, we recommend you book as early as possible to take full advantage of their flex rates.

Book an Apollo Camper

Britz
In Australia, the Britz brand is a Mercedes dominated fleet, supported by Volkswagen and Toyota vehicles. Britz is the only company to guarantee automatics for the Voyager 4 Berth and Frontier 6 Berth vehicles. Equally, Britz is Australia's 4WD rental specialist. Britz offers exclusive discounts on Holiday Parks, attractions, tours and activities and also offers the industry's first and only in-vehicle magazine.

Make Tracks with a Britz Camper

Maui
Maui's reputation as the premium motorhome brand in Australia is built on many years of offering superior products and services. Maui have a good size fleet and we find availability is generally good if you book at least 3 months ahead. All Maui Motorhomes with toilet and shower feature a safe for personal belonging and the 6 berth features a flat screen TV. DVD Player, GPS satellite navigation and PlayStation2.

Get Cruisin' with Maui

So Brisbane is our home town, and the start of our motorhome adventures. Brisbane has a very unpretentious air about it- although they take a lot of pride in their city, locals don't feel the need to advertise how good they've got it. The city just speaks for itself! And whether you travel, north, south, east or west of Brissie, there are an amazing number of attractions to see on your trip.
The following are some of the highlights that I feel every traveller should experience in this city:

Hang out at the artificial beach in Southbank Parklands: Right on the river, looking towards the city centre, enjoy the surreal experience of basking on a beach in the middle of a city! Especially popular on a summers day.

Drive to the lookout at Mt Coot-tha, from where you can see the whole of Brisbane city laid out before you. Spectacular at sunset when the lights start to come on, this view should not be missed!

Experience Fortitude Valley, the cultural hub of Brisbane. Enjoy the cafe culture, go shopping in retro boutiques or have a fine meal and drink in one of the restaurants or bars. Youngsters will love the night life here.

Go for an adventure climb on the Story Bridge, from where you can see beautiful views of the CBD and the surrounding countryside to the coastline. Pop into the Story Bridge Hotel for a drink afterwards!

Do the 'koala holding thing' at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary! Its something every tourist to Australia has to have - a picture of yourself holding a cute koala!

Visit North Stradbroke Island, just a short ferry trip from the mainland. Beautiful beaches, scuba diving and lots of sunshine await you in this tropical paradise!

For some quiet time amongst nature without venturing out of the city visit the City Botanic Gardens. Here a large collection of exotic and native plants live in lovely gardens along the river bank.

For a fanatstic, yet affordable day out, visit Alma Park Zoo. The park offers fantastic opportunities for the kids to interact with the animals and learn some fascinating facts about different species of birds and animals.

Years of safe travel may make you begin to think that you're luck will never turn, that you don't need to waste extra money on travel insurance. But think long and hard about this decision before you visit Australia. Firstly, any flight here from most international destinations is going to involve two or three different legs until you get to your final city. Thats at least three airports to deal with either way... thats six seperate occasions when your baggage could get lost or stolen, or you could miss your flight. Any little misshap like this can have a profound effect not only on your wallet but on your holiday too. So my advice is that if you are coming from overseas travel insurance is an absolute necessity.
So here are some travel insurance companies you may want to use:

Worldcare Travel Insurance are a popular and established travel insurance company.

Travel Insurance Australia provide a comparison system that lets you compare different insurance companies.

Columbus Direct sell you insurance directly rather than through a travel agent, so their prices are kept very low.

Down Under Worldwide Insurance Services pass on huge savings to you, leaving you more money for travelling.

Norwich Union is a large insurance corporation in the UK. People from over that way may like to have a look at its rates.

Access America are the worlds largest provider of travel insurance. Americans will be especially interested in their products.

Ok so Australia is a big place... huge in fact. That means the climate really changes from place to place. There is the generalisation of colder in the south, very hot in the north, and this is largely true although the southern states do enjoy a nice warm summer too. There really isnt much of a winter in places like Cairns and Darwin... its just hot and then not so hot!
Our summer runs from late November through to February, and generally the whole of Australia enjoys clear and fine weather in those times. Cue surfing, outdoor festivals and a heady holiday atmosphere. The higher up the country you go, the hotter the summer is, and of course in the desert regions in the stark 'red centre' the heat can be almost intolerable.
Winter goes from June to August, and is normally pretty mild. Nighttime temperatures can get very low though, so come prepared! The Snowfields in the Victorian High Country and in New South Wales start to become a tourism fixture in those months as snowboarders and skiers arrive en-mass to enjoy the snow covered slopes.
In between of course you have spring and autumn, and the mild months during these times are the best for getting acquainted with the outdoors, as the temperatures are tolerable and the trees are in changing states which makes for picturesque scenery.



No matter what season you visit Australia, it is always advisable to remember the ferocious strength of our sun. Whenever you head outdoors you need a hat and strong sunscreen of at least spf 30+. This should be more of a rule than a requirement on your holiday, especially if you are travelling with kids. And on your campervan holiday, remember lots of water. No one wants to end up like the car in the picture!!

Its one of those must see Australian things, mentioned in the same breath as Sydney, Ayers Rock, Kakadu and Melbourne... visible from space and the worlds largest organism, the Great Barrier Reef is truly one of Australia's most spectacular features. So Iv'e decided to do a section on it, just to give foreigners and visitors a little bit of information on the reef and what you can do and see when you visit it. Lets start with a few facts to kick things off:

*It is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2 900 individual reefs and 900 islands.
*The Reef stretches for 2600 kilometres down the coast of Queensland.
*CNN has included it on their list of the seven natural wonders of the world, and it was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981.
*Most of it is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which helps reduce the impact of fishing and tourism and protect the numerous endangered species that call it home.
*215 species of bird are attracted to the reef or nest in its islands.
*Salt water crocodiles live in mangrove and saltmarshes on the coast near the reefs northerly reaches.
*More than 1,500 species of fish live on the reef, including the clownfish, red bass, red-throat emperor, and several species of snapper and coral trout.
*Four hundred species of corals, both hard corals and soft corals are found on the reef.

To its south Bundaberg is the first real spot where you can access the reef with a vessel, and then up the whole coast to Port Douglas in the far north there are lots of companies operating from the mainland that will take you out to the reef for diving, snorkelling and general sight seeing.
The most popular towns for accessing the reef for scuba diving are Airlie Beach, Cairns and Port Douglas- these are where tourists who wish to dive or learn to dive are catered to the best in my opinion. Cairns especially lays a claim to being the 'dive capital of Australia'. Below are some links that will help you if you want to go scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef:

Diving Cairns - Diving Cairns was established to help the visiting diver decide where to go, where to stay and where to dive, and we make it our business to be informed of the latest local happenings including dive boats, mainland and island accommodation, and diving equipment.

The Divers Den - Deep Sea Divers Den has operated from Cairns, Australia for over 25 years, making us not only the largest but also one of the longest established Cairns diving and snorkelling companies in the area.

The Scuba Centre - Our website is visited daily by thousands of divers and holiday makers from all over the world and contains lots of useful information on diving the Great Barrier Reef, weather, travel and safety information. Choose a trip or dive course and book online with security and simplicity.

Poseidon Cruises - Poseidon's high cruising speed takes you to the VERY OUTER EDGE of the Great Barrier Reef, to superb, completely unspoilt reefs at the Agincourt Ribbon Reefs. Operates out of Port Douglas.

On the other side of the continent there is a reef often overlooked by international visitors, one that in many ways is just as spectacular as the Great Barrier Reef. The Ningaloo Reef stretches for 280 kilometres from Bundegi Reef near the town of Exmouth to Amherst Point near Coral Bay in the south.

Snorkelling on the Ningaloo Reef


The spectacular thing about Ningaloo is that as a fringe reef it lies very close to shore, and can be accessed by a swim in most parts or a short boat ride in others. From the coast it reaches nearly 20 kilometres out towards the sea, in total covering 5000 kilometres of ocean! Thats a lot of reef to explore. Home to over 500 species of fish and 200 species of coral, there is fantastic snorkelling and diving to be had here, and in the months of April to June you might bump into one of the spectacularly large but docile Whale Sharks.
The waters around here are a bright turqouise colour, as you can see in the photo above, which offsets the colour of the tropical fish and the coral beautifully. Graceful manta rays and a number of species of rare turtle also frequent these waters, as do the majestic dugongs in some spots.
Its the two towns of Coral Bay in the south, and Exmouth in the north that are the main points of access to the reef, and this is where most visitors congregate. Both are quaint coastal resorts, with plenty of sea faring stories emanating from the walls of the sailors cottages and from the fishing boats. There are ample accommodation options in each town, as well as tours out to the reef and to the hinterland. Tourists are very well catered towards, check out the links below for further information.

Uluru is as quintessentially Australian as kangaroos and the Sydney Opera House. Foreigners visiting the country simply have to give it a look, and for Australians... well a visit to Uluru is a right of passage. It rises abruptly and unexpectedly out of the flat desert, a shimmering, magical image that sits in the heart of Australia. I remember on a childhood holiday how the setting sun reflected off the rock, seeming to make its colours dance, twinkle and glow. Ever since that day its held a special place in my heart, as it does for most Australians. It seems significant that it sits in the centre of the country then, literally at the heart of our land. Also significant is the importance of Uluru to the indigenous people of Australia. The local Anangu people do not climb the rock because of the spiritual significance it holds for them, and they request that tourists do the same, although many still climb it. There is plenty of Aboriginal legend and folklore about the region and about the rock, and one account of it is as follows:
"Uluru (Ayers Rock) was built up during the creation period by two boys who played in the mud after rain. When they had finished their game they travelled south to Wiputa ..Fighting together, the two boys made their way to the table topped Mount Conner, on top of which their bodies are preserved as boulders".
If going on a tour of Uluru an Aboriginal guide will enlighten you as to much of the tradition and folklore of the region, but there are also many interpretative signs that provide information as well.



Heres some interesting facts about Uluru:
*It is an inselberg, largely composed of coarse sandstone.
*It is 348 metres high and measures 9.4 kilometres around the base.
*It is located in the Kata Tjuta National Park, a world heritage listed area. Kata Tjuta means 'many heads'.
*46 species of native mammals live in the Uluru region, so there is lots of wildlife to be seen on your trip here.
*Its 443 kilometres to Uluru by road from Alice Springs.
*The desert climate of Uluru accounts for large ranges in temperature, often from as low as -10 degrees in the night time to +50 degrees in the day.
*Uluru is in fact just the tip of a huge underground residue of rock.

Hey everyone, don't forget to follow us as we continue traversing our way around Australia! Ill be putting up a lens for each significant step we take, so if you've liked this lens then drop in on the rest of them!
This is our journey so far, following on from this lens:

The Sunshine Coast, Rainbow Beach and Fraser Island
Bundaberg and Agnes Waters/Town of 1770
Rockhampton and Mackay
Airlie Beach and Townsville
Mission Beach and Cairns
Port Douglas and Cape Tribulation
Richmond and Mt Isa
Tennant Creek and Newcastle Waters
Darwin and Katherine
Litchfield and Kakadu
Kununurra and Halls Creek
Broome and Fitzroy Crossing